Page 30 of Can't Win 'Em All
“It’s okay.” He smiled, but it didn’t touch his eyes. He appeared awkward when he released my shoulders. “Are you okay?”
That felt like a loaded question. “I’m good.” I forced my voice to be more chipper than it would normally be. “I’m great in fact. I’ve never been better.”
He cocked his head but didn’t say anything.
“Okay, that was a bit of a hard sell,” I said after a beat. “I’m good, though.” I glanced around to make sure nobody we knew was watching us. This was Vegas, though, so we were hardly interesting compared to the other stuff going on. “Is that guy carrying a hobby horse?” I asked out of nowhere when my gaze fell on a forty-something man strolling through the casino carrying a very ornate looking stuffed horse head on a stick.
“Hmm?” Rex followed my gaze, then he nodded. “Yes, we have a hobby horse convention starting tomorrow.”
Nothing he said computed. “What is there to convene about regarding hobby horses?”
“Oh, it’s a whole community.” His voice warmed at the subject. “They do races and stuff. They have jumping competitions.”
“With hobby horses?”
“It’s totally a thing.” He laughed at my confusion. “You would be surprised at the conventions we get. Last week was the mullets and mustaches convention. That wasn’t the official name, but nobody called it anything else.”
“Huh.” I didn’t know what to make of that. “Well … I guess as long as they’re having fun and not hurting anybody, it’s up to them what they want to do.”
“Yes, well…” He trailed off, his eyes going to the bag in my hand. “What’s that?”
“I went shopping.” Because I didn’t know what else to do, I pulled out the blanket and showed it to him. “Cute, huh?”
He swallowed hard. “It’s really cute. It’s … tiny.”
“Well, babies are tiny. Although, from what my doctor told me, nothing is going to feel tiny when I’m in labor. I have to come up with a birthing plan.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“It means that I have to decide if I want drugs.”
He looked horrified. “Who wouldn’t want the drugs?”
“People giving birth at home with a midwife.”
“You’re not doing that, are you?”
His tone told me exactly what he thought about the possibility. “Probably not. I can’t see myself getting inside an inflatable pool in front of five people and pushing out a human being. I see myself as going more traditional. You know, a hospital and whatever drugs they can pump me full of.”
“Right.” He inclined his chin toward the bag. “What else is in there?”
Why did he want to know? Did this mean he wanted to be involved? I decided not to push him on an answer. I was understandably curious. I had a feeling how things would go, though. It was better to wait it out.
“Books,” I replied. “I know nothing about pregnancy or taking care of a baby. I don’t think the fact that I’ve watched movies with babies being born is going to cut it. Plus—no offense to my mother—but my parents aren’t exactly what I would call good role models on the subject.”
He just stared, and I felt the need to fill the uncomfortable silence. “Your parents would be good role models. I bet they would know exactly what I need to do. Your mom would probably make a great tutor.”
He reacted as if I’d smacked him across the face. “I … um…”
Instantly, I felt like an idiot.So much for not pressuring him, Ruby,I internally chided myself. What was wrong with me?
“I didn’t mean anything by it,” I said quickly, discomfort grabbing me by the stomach and twisting. So far, most of my bouts of morning sickness—something my doctor assured me should go away in a few weeks—had happened before ten o’clock. The only thing that could make this situation any worse was if I puked all over my baby daddy who didn’t want to be a baby daddy. “Don’t think I’m pressuring you, Rex. I just … I’m an idiot when I talk sometimes.”
He nodded. “I’m doing what you told me to do. I’m thinking.”
“That’s good.” I flashed a flat smile. “That’s what you should be doing.”
“Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck, which was a mottled red color. Had that just happened? If so, why? I had no idea. “Um…”
